3D Systems Corporation(NYSE:DDD) announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Robtec. Headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, 3DS will acquire 70% of the shares of Robtec at closing and the remainder of the shares on the 5th anniversary of the closing. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. The transaction provides 3DS with the strongest possible platform for its Quickparts fast-turn, custom manufacturing expansion plans in Latin America and multiplexes its in-region 3D printing and additive manufacturing reseller coverage. Analysts have a consensus price target of $82 on 3D Systems…
Author: Daniel Curran
LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:LPTH) shares gained 5.5% in recent trade after saying it has agreed to sell shares to Pudong Science & Technology for an initial purchase price of $1.62 per share. The sale will more than double Pudong Science’s stake in LightPath to 19.9% from 9.37% LPTH is trading in the upper half of the 52-week range between $0.70 and $1.96. The maker of optical components said the final per share purchase price may be higher or lower than the initial per share purchase price, but that it won’t drop below $1.40. LightPath said it plans to use the proceeds to…
King Digital Entertainment PLC(NYSE:KING) announced it will launch a Chinese version of its wildly popular Candy Crush Saga game for the Chinese market exclusively with Tencent Holdings. This agreement further extends King’s presence in key Asian markets. It follows the successful launches of Candy Crush Saga in Korea and Japan in 2013. The Chinese version will be available via Tencent’s Mobile QQ and Weixin Game Centers. Analysts have a consensus price target of $24 on King Digital Entertainment PLC(NYSE:KING) which indicates a 37% upside. The consensus rating of the stock is a HOLD with a score of 2.00. King has not…
Symantec Corporation(NASDAQ:SYMC) is being eyed by activist investors for a potential breakup or other changes, and by private equity firms for buyout possibilities, Reuters reported. The increased outsider interest was apparently sparked by the abrupt departure last month of the security software maker’s CEO, Steve Bennett. Reuters said ValueAct Capital is among the activist investors taking a look at the company, and that PE firms including Bain Capital, Blackstone Group and Carlyle Group were contemplating leveraged buyout possibilities for all or parts of the company. Symantec is data storage products in addition to its flagship Norton antivirus software. Reuters estimated the…
Micron Technology, Inc.(NASDAQ:MU) and Wave Systems Corp.(NASDAQ:WAVX) announced they are expanding their relationship to develop solutions designed to strengthen user protection against current and emerging threats to compute and embedded platforms. This collaboration is focused on the detection and remediation of advanced persistent threats, the most advanced forms of malware capable of infecting a wide array of IP-connected devices. The collaboration expands on the two companies’ ongoing activities around management for Micron’s self-encrypting SSD drives. Together, Micron and Wave deliver advanced data protection for large corporations, as well as state and federal governments—without cumbersome workflow interruptions or decreased performance. The companies are targeting…
After speaking with Chinese Internet industry contacts and reviewing an article about job postings for language specialists in simplified Chinese, Topeka believes it is a matter of when, not if, Facebook enters China. The firm views entering China as a long-term catalyst for Facebook and keeps a Buy rating on the stock with a $75 price target. Analysts have a consensus price target of $71.68 on Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) which indicates a 26% upside. The consensus rating of the stock is a BUY with a score of 2.76. There are currently 9 Hold Ratings and 29 Buy ratings on the…
Palo Alto Networks Inc (NYSE:PANW) shares were higher nearly 3% in recent trade as Barclays upgraded the network security platform’s stock to overweight from equalweight, while retaining a price target of $78.00. PANW is trading above the midpoint of the 52-week range between $39.08 and $80.84. Analysts have a consensus price target of $70 on Palo Alto Networks Inc (NYSE:PANW) which indicates a 9% upside. The consensus rating of the stock is a BUY with a score of 2.71. There are currently 6 Hold Ratings and 15 Buy ratings on the stock. Stephens also upgraded the stock today from Equal Weight…
Travelzoo Inc. (NASDAQ:TZOO) announced yesterday afternoon that it is making management changes within its Local and Search businesses. Mark Webb, president of Travelzoo Local, is leaving the company on May 1, and Michael Stitt will assume leadership of the company’s Local business in North America. Travelzoo also appointed David White, joins Travelzoo from Yahoo! (YHOO), to lead Travelzoo’s Search business. At Yahoo!, White served as senior director of product operations. “The management changes are made in response to the continued weakness in the company’s local voucher sales and declining search revenues,” Travelzoo stated. Ascendiant believes Travelzoo’s announcement of new heads for its…
BofA/Merrill has concerns SanDisk Corporation(NASDAQ:SNDK) will report a Q1 miss given weaker than seasonal NAND demand at Asian chipmakers and ASP erosion. The firm has bigger concerns of a Q2 miss given bullish consensus estimates adn potential for Asian chipmakers to be more aggressive in NAN price cuts due to excess inventories. Shares are Underperform rated. Analysts have a consensus price target of $78 on SanDisk Corporation(NASDAQ:SNDK) which indicates a 31% upside. The consensus rating of the stock is a BUY with a score of 2.50. There are currently 11 Hold Ratings, 14 Buy ratings and 2 Sell ratings on…
Shares of Nokia (NYSE:NOK) are higher this morning after a deal to sell substantially all of its Devices & Services business to Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) received regulatory approval in China according to theflyonthwall.com. Nokia won approval from China’s Ministry of Commerce, the country’s competition authority, to sell its mobile phone business to Microsoft for EUR5.4B, or about $7.4B. In addition to China, Nokia and Microsoft have now received regulatory approvals from the U.S. Department of Justice, the European Commission and numerous other jurisdictions. Nokia and Microsoft believe the transaction will close this month. Nokia said in a statement that that several competition…
Monotype Imaging Holdings (NASDAQ:TYPE), a provider of typefaces, technology and expertise for creative applications and consumer devices, said Chairman Robert M. Givens will retire as of the day after its 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, which is expected May 5. The company named Robert L. Lentz, a member of its board since August 2008, as its new chairman, effective at the time of Givens’s retirement. Givens is a cofounder and former president and CEO. After his retirement, Givens will hold the title of chairman emeritus. Shares were inactive pre-market after closing Thursday at $29.74, in a 52-week range of $21.56…
Emerge Energy Services LP (NYSE:EMES) has been upgraded by analysts at Robert W. Baird to an outperform rating from neutral. The firm hiked its price target on the stock by 70% to $85 from $50 a share. In the pre-market session, shares of EMES have spiked more than 5% to $68.20, within a 52-week spread of $16.44 – $71.48. In Other News Oil-and-gas company TransAtlantic Petroleum (NYSEMKT:TAT) said Q1 average net sales rose 5% from a year earlier to 4,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including 2,900 barrels of oil per day. The company noted several wells were shut in to…